


despite the gentle hands that keep your head underwater

by evanescentdawn



Series: Jack Kline-centric [3]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Gen, Jack Kline Needs A Hug, Post-Episode: s14e19 Jack in the Box, desparately
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-23
Updated: 2020-07-23
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:46:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25475584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/evanescentdawn/pseuds/evanescentdawn
Summary: First sentence prompt: Jack stumbled, but he didn't fall
Relationships: Jack Kline & Dean Winchester, Jack Kline & Lucifer, Jack Kline & Sam Winchester, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Series: Jack Kline-centric [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1707172
Kudos: 20





	despite the gentle hands that keep your head underwater

**Author's Note:**

> thanks to the most lovely Steph for the prompt.

He catches himself at the last moment—barely—trembling hands gripping the edge of the sink take. Taking every effort, all every power inside of him, to keep steady, to keep _standing_ with each second that drags by excruciatingly slow in the bathroom; the past moments replaying vividly in Jack’s mind—Sam, _Sam_ , who Jack trusted, who Jack thought would protect him, lying to him as he smiled and said _it’s okay, Jack_ and _Jack don’t you want to get better?_ and _soon, soon Jack_ but closed and chained Jack in that cold, dark, small space with the Devil and was going to _leave_ him there—Sam who said that he believed in Jack and was the first hand that reached out towards him, who stood tall, fierce against the _Devil_ and said Jack was _family_ —like Dean, Dean who Sam didn’t let go in the box but despite the gentle way that Sam held his shoulder, so softly, and how he said _we want to help you_ and how Jack trusted him, _thought_ —

it was all _lies_.

Jack had screamed and screamed and _begged_ but no one came, no one answered back expect silence and the Devil’s laughter (sharp glass, fire, and blood), and Jack didn’t want to believe, _couldn’t_ —

 _no no no no_ he shook his head violently and tried to drown the Devil’s voice and whispers that felt like truth with each second. It was a mistake, Jack never meant to and they _knew_ that; Jack tried everything to get her back, held her cold, cold body in his hands as he kneeled and begged, tried and tried, again, again, and again and _again_ , but— _but_ —

no _matter_ what Jack did, how hard he tried, Mary would not get up. 

Jack denied it, kept whispering _no no no no no_ and they wouldn’t, they _wouldn’t_ but knew, dread and horror curling cold—just like _Mary_ —against his bones as the Devil laughed, laughed and _laughed_ and said, _Son—_

—Jack takes a sharp, deep breath, grips the sink tighter, hands ghost white, _refusing_ to fall—

Sam and Dean never met to get him out, were _never_ going to try and save him, but—Jack did, Jack got _himself_ out of that box and darkness—

and will _save_ himself 

—“that’s right, son,” the Devil whispers in his ear—

 _even_ if Sam and Dean think he doesn’t deserve to be.

**Author's Note:**

> As always, thanks for reading. 💞


End file.
